Hello, Neighbor

Hello, Neighbor. Yes, you.

The one who looked at me with that glare.

The one who flipped me the bird.

The one who called me a "Chink" and told me to go home.

The one who spit in my face as I walked home.

The one who blamed me for spreading this awful virus.

It's me. Your neighbor.

Who made a home for my family next door to yours.

The one that came here from China, from Korea, from Japan,

Who immigrated to America,

The land of the free and the home of the brave,

To find a better life for my family.

The one born here to Asian immigrant parents,

Raised in American schools,

Assimilated to your ways,

Made friends with your daughter or your husband.

The one whose family came here generations ago,

Who built your railroads and your hospitals,

Your buildings, your homes, your parks.

To ensure that this great nation

Was built on a solid foundation.

I know this is a difficult time for you. It is for me too.

Emotions are high. Anxiety runs rampant. The fear is palpable.

I want you to know that I am here for you.

And that is because...I am your neighbor.

I live and work in our community,

And I care for it as much as you.

I work in your groceries and delis,

Stocking it with food and essentials.

I do your laundry and dry cleaning,

Making sure you have clean clothes.

I cook your food in restaurants,

And serve you sushi, dim sum, burgers, and pizza.

I make sure your Internet, television, and telephone work,

And deliver your mail and packages,

So, everyone can feel connected.

I teach your kids school on-line,

Because now more than ever,

Children need to feel secure and comforted.

As your police officer and firefighter,

I do my best to keep you safe.

Perhaps you don't consider me your neighbor?

If you thought I belonged,

You would treat me like a neighbor.

You would realize that I am as vulnerable as you are,

And I am as scared as you.

As the pandemic ravages through our country,

I, too, am separating from the ones I love,

And isolating my child from her friends.

This worry, not of catching the disease,

But of spreading the disease,

Has kept me indoors and away from others,

To stop the virus from spreading

Throughout our beloved neighborhood.

I know you blame me for bringing this to our country; I didn't.

Though, someone that looked like me,

Or someone that looked like you, did.

Not because they were being malicious or mean.

But because they traveled to a place

To seek understanding and friendship.

They dared to see the Far East, up close and near.

They dared to view life from a different perspective.

I do not blame that person, and I hope that you don't either.

It is not helpful right now to blame.

It’s only helpful to hope,

To do our part and love our neighbors from afar.

I am with you, neighbor,

Though perhaps you prefer that I disappear,

To 'go home' from where I came from,

Even though I can't return to my mother's womb.

Maybe you even want me to die,

To get the virus that you seem to think I am,

And fade quietly, the way a model minority should.

But I won't do that dear neighbor.

I will do everything I can to survive,

And to make sure others are kept safe.

I strive not only to survive, but to thrive.

I hope that you are doing the same.

I want you to be healthy and well,

But if God forbid, you do fall ill,

I will bring you groceries when you can't go out.

I will bring you medicine to help you feel better.

If you show up at my hospital,

I will do my best to keep you alive.

Because I am the EMT who drives you to the hospital,

I am your nurse or your doctor,

I am the groundswell of people,

Making sure that PPE gets to the front line.

I will do my best to heal and comfort you,

And I will pray for you to get better.

And when this is all over,

I will give you a high five or an elbow bump.

I will tell you that I appreciate you for doing your part

By sheltering in, like the rest of us.

For being civil when shopping,

For only taking what you need,

For being kind to our neighbors,

For lending a hand when you can,

For cheering on our heroes in scrubs.

I, like you, will be focused on cleaning up the mess left by this pandemic.

I will see my elderly parents and thank God they are okay.

I will visit my family and hold them tight.

I will travel to see my friends across the country.

I will cherish the love that kept loved ones close,

Though we were kept so far apart.

I, like you, will try to pick up the pieces.

I will go back to work to support my family.

I will return to freelancing to help my clients.

I will rebuild my business and employ my staff.

I will continue writing and making art,

To touch the humanity in all of us.

I will keep optimistic when it seems so dire.

I will say goodbye to the people I have lost,

And feel compassion for those who have lost more.

I will say a prayer and a blessing for those around the world,

Who, no matter their race or nationality,

No matter where they came from,

What holidays they celebrated,

Or what God they worshipped,

No matter their gender or sexual orientation,

No matter their class, color or creed...

Can or will be spared.

I will remember how Love

Brought people together in the darkest of days.

When we are finally able

To breathe a breath of fresh air,

I will knock on your door,

And I will say to you,

"Hello, Neighbor.

How about joining me for a cup of tea?"‘